What’s in a Preschool?
My name is Miracle, and I have been part of the early childhood education field for the last ten years.
Since the beginning of my teaching career, I have taught different curriculum that focuses on play-based learning and academic learning.
My focus is whether or not a play-based or academic curriculum is better for them. This article will detail the difference between play-based and academic preschool.
Academic preschools focus on kindergarten readiness skills. These schools are teacher-initiated, and the classroom structure is rigid. These schools introduce students to different subjects such as phonics, writing, reading, and science. In this current century student’s are expected to count to one hundred, write, read, and sound out letters all before first grade! As elementary schools are pressure to perform well-academic preschools rise to the occasion.
Academic preschool provides unstructured free time that students initiate such as painting, block building, and sensory activities. These open-ended activities provide a way for the student to figure out their favorite activities and the teachers can initiate questions to stimulate conversation.
The other type of preschool is a play-based preschool which is less structured. Students are free to move around and explore their environment and learn more about their interests. This type of preschool is said to be beneficial because students learn best through play. The other difference is that their unstructured playtime is longer than an academic preschool.
Teachers can watch what each student is doing and tailor the curriculum to each child individually.
Play base preschool and academic preschool provide social-emotional learning. Social and emotional learning teaches young children how they feel when they hit another peer or when a peer hits them. It’s an important skill to master while the student is young. Students who have better social-emotional skills can cope with difficulties in school, work, and life. These skills benefit them academically, professionally, and socially.
